Katharina Hesse

lives and works in Beijing, China - born in Germany

""Borderland"

Image 1: Kim Jeong-Ya ( a pseudonym), who lives near the North Korean border in China,belongs to a handful of activists who dedicate their lifes to help North Korean defectors to make a safe passage from impoverished North Korea to South Korea .
Traveling on business inside North Korea in early 2002 , the activist stayed with the family of a North Korean she had met in China. He says "they were destitute, the children had no shoes and were clothed in rags. The family had no blankets and the concrete floor of the building they occupied had no mats-the family had sold everything to buy food."
For his activities which are considered strictly illegal in China and North Korea, Kim went to jail several times and was beaten up by North Korean police...
Because of what he's seen, he's decided to continue support the NK people,disregarding of any politics.
Northern China,October 10/19/2002"